| This thesis aims to explore and interpret the reconstruction of the cultural identity and gender identity on behalf of the Chinese American women in The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife from the perspective of the Postcolonial theory and Feminist approach.The thesis consists of three parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion, five chapters in all.The first chapter gives a brief introduction to Amy Tan and her literary achievement, her two novels The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife, and then previous academic researches on the two novels both at home and abroad, at last, the feasibility and significance of this study.Chapter two brings out the theoretical perspective of this thesis. First, it introduces the birth of Postcolonial theory and two representatives: Edward Said and his Orientalism, Homi Bhabha and his"Third Space". Then there comes the developing process of Feminism approach, Virginia Woolf's Androgynous thought also will be presented.Chapter three analyzes the Other position of the female characters in Amy Tan's novels from the perspective of Postcolonial theory, Edward Said's Orientalism. In the eyes of Americanized daughters, their immigrant mothers are the Other, while mothers regard their daughters as Other, too. The author of this thesis points out the reasons why mothers and daughters consider one another as Other, apart from the generation gap, cultural differences and language obstacles also account for it. In Patriarchal society, women become Other from the perspective of men.Chapter four outlines Chinese American women's identity crisis, reconstruction of identity. It points out methods to identity's reconstruction and the significance of reconstruction as well. The cultural identity of Chinese American women is in the Homi BhaBha's"Third space"through hybridity. Based upon Virginia Woolf's Androgynous thought, hybridized gender identity for Chinese American women also makes sense.The last part Conclusion summarizes the thesis. Relocation of Chinese American women's cultural identity exactly shows Amy Tan's intercultural advocacy. Besides, reconstruction of their gender identity embodies Amy Tan's another inter-thought on gender or Virginia Woolf's androgynous mind. |
